Katy Perry responds to backlash after working with alleged abuser on Woman’s World

By Abby Amoakuh

Published Sep 5, 2024 at 12:37 PM

Reading time: 2 minutes

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Image courtesy of Call Her Daddy podcast

After the tumultuous release of ‘WOMAN’S WORLD’, an ostensibly feminist anthem slammed as “garbage” and “irritating at best,” Katy Perry has been skating from one scandal to the next. First, the single was torn apart by critics for outlining a superficial and regressive feminism, then the singer’s music video came under the scrutiny of an environmental inquiry to determine whether she and her crew had caused damage to a protected area of Ibiza.

To make matters even worse, the chart-topping performer also came under fire for collaborating on the track with Dr. Luke, whose real name is Łukasz Sebastian Gottwald—an American songwriter and record producer who has been accused of abuse and sexual assault by artist Kesha. So, when it was time to set the record straight during a recent appearance on Alex Cooper’s podcast Call Her Daddy, Perry fell short of delivering a convincing excuse or anything resembling an explanation…

On Wednesday 4 September, the episode in which host Cooper asked the singer why she chose to work with Gottwald on her latest track aired and, let’s just say, it caused quite a stir online.

The decision to work with Gottwald led to a tremendous fall from grace for Perry, potentially even sinking the release of her upcoming seventh studio album 143. Let’s unpack the drama.

In case you forgot, record producer Łukasz Sebastian Gottwald, who professionally goes by the name Dr. Luke, was embroiled in a lengthy legal battle with 2000s pop icon Kesha after she accused him of drugging and raping her, on top of persistent emotional abuse.

Gottwald has consistently denied the accusations and sued for defamation until the two settled the case in 2023.

Nevertheless, the legal battle, which lasted for almost a decade, resulted in the #FreeKesha movement, which urged the court to free the singer from her contract with Dr. Luke, whom she was still signed to at the time.

The movement captured the attention and support of famous celebrities including Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, and Lorde, and ultimately culminated with Taylor Swift donating $250,000 to Kesha’s legal battle.

And where was Perry in this? Apparently, in the recording studio with the producer.

“Look, I understand that it started a lot of conversations,” Perry acknowledged in the podcast.  “And he was one of many collaborators that I collaborated with. But the reality is it comes from me.”

“The truth is I wrote these songs from my experience of my whole life going through this metamorphosis. And, he was one of the people to help facilitate all that—one of the writers, one of the producers. And, I am speaking from my own experience,” the singer continued.

And after this vague and unsatisfying answer, the ‘Dark Horse’ singer went on to state that ‘Woman’s World’ was about her many roles as a woman and the feeling of empowerment she had after giving birth to her daughter Daisy Dove in 2020.

Of course, social media wasn’t as willing to move on from the conversation at hand.

“That was the biggest non answer ever,” one TikTok user commented. “That’s not an answer lol,” someone else agreed. Another user co-signed: “That is not really an answer to that question…”

“I’m still mad…” a further TikToker stated in the comment section.

Perry told Cooper: “When I speak about ‘Woman’s World’, I speak about feeling so empowered now, as a mother, as a woman, giving birth, creating life, creating another set of organs, a brain, a heart. I created a whole-ass heart! And I did it, and I’m still doing it. And I’m still a matriarch and feeling really grounded in that.”

Of course, there were many voices online stating that they were going to enjoy the album anyways, regardless of the producer’s involvement.

Still, it looks like for now the scrutiny will prevail, at least until the singer sufficiently responds to the backlash of involving an alleged abuser in a song about empowerment and modern womanhood…